End of preview

This is an unformatted preview. Sign up to view the full document

End of preview

The same censorship that made George Orwells novel 1984 a classic can be seen currently in the Federal Communications Commissions FCC campaign for censorship The present day actions taken by the FCC to deny the right to freedom of expression should be deemed unconstitutional The First Amendment in the United States Bill of Rights states that we have the freedom of expression without government interference However bills passed by the government such as the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2004 Decency Act are in direct violation of this Amendment The Decency Act essentially gives the FCC the ability to fine broadcast station licensees for demonstrating or broadcasting what the FCC defines as obscene indecent or profane language or images The main objective of the Act is to monitor indecency With the passing of the Decency Act congress made a law that abridged the freedom of speech On Thursday June 24 2004 Vice President Dick Cheney was fined 250000 by the FCC for using profanity on the Senate Floor Mr Vice President was having a political discussion with Senator Patrick Leahy Mr Cheneys use of profanity was not in any way shape or form threatening or endangering the general public therefore restricting his speech should have been deemed unconstitutional Mr Cheney was simply expressing his raw human emotions of frustration He was not screaming fire into a crowded theater causing a commotion and endangering lives This is only one of many cases in which the FCC has unjustly imposed fines upon individuals exercising their freedom of speech When a law or limitation on ones rights is considered by Congress a balancing test is taken into account weather the benefits of the law outweigh the loss of freedom With the instant law one must ask what benefits are gained by restricting freedom of speech After all this freedom of speech is one of Americas most valued assets The FCC is going the wrong way about fighting indecency

@Kibin is a lifesaver for my essay right now!!

- Sandra Slivka, student @ UC Berkeley

Wow, this is the best essay help I've ever received!

- Camvu Pham, student @ U of M

If I'd known about @Kibin in college, I would have gotten much more sleep